WASHINGTON — The US Senate has confirmed Michael Ratney as the United States ambassador to Saudi Arabia. The US embassy in Riyadh expressed on its official account on Twitter that it is looking forward to welcoming the new ambassador to Riyadh. Ratney was nominated by US President Joe Biden. On April 22, 2022, the president announced his intent to nominate him to be the next US ambassador to the Kingdom. Ratney is currently serving in the United States Department of State. He previously served as the State Department's Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Levant and Israel and Palestinian Affairs. From 2015 to 2017, he was the US Special Envoy for Syria. From 2012 to 2015, he served as US Consul General in Jerusalem. Until 2012, Ratney was the deputy assistant secretary for international media in the State Department's Bureau of Public Affairs. Since Ratney joined the diplomatic service in 1990, he has held the position of Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Doha, Qatar. He holds a Bachelor's degree from Boston University and a Master's degree from George Washington University. It is worth mentioning that Ratney speaks fluent Arabic and French.
